March 19, 2014

Ok guys, I'm gonna make another attempt at this blogging thing. I've been thinking of all the reasons that I had a blog before my mission and why I kept it up for so long. I came to one simple conclusion: I blogged because I wanted to remember. I don't have any opinions to express, I don't want to post about my outfits, I just want to document my lil ol' life so that one day, I can look back and be flooded with sweet memories. Do I care if anyone reads this? Nah. I know I at least have 2 loyal readers, and they are my parents. So, here we go again guys.

To catch you up, here are some pics of the end of 2013!

I celebrated my 23rd birthday with my besties in October.

I made 3 wonderful friends at my new apartment

We celebrated K. Milli's birthday.

Paige and I went to the Lower Lights Christmas concert. So good.

My family and I went to San Francisco to watch BYU play in the Fight Hunger Bowl

September 12, 2013

This past week has been really great. First, I had a mission reunion, where I got to catch up with some pretty cool kids. We really are so lucky to be living so close to each other.

I went to the Texas vs BYU game and cheered our team on to victory from the SIDE LINES. Nice, right? It was there that we got to chill with Jimmer, Brandon Davies, Jackson Emery, and Charles Abouo, no big, right? (joke, it actually was a pretty big deal)

I also started my new job!! I'm officially a medical assistant at Pediatric Care, where I give shots to innocent babies all day. Sad, right? But it pays really well and they are flexible with my schedule... so needless to say, I'm pretty happy right now.

September 2, 2013

Well, I'm home! I think I need to be better on this blogging thing. I'm sure things will settle down when school starts back up (tomorrow, ah!! I'm so excited!).

Mexico was so relaxing and so fun. We go there about every year and a half, so we're pretty seasoned in the whole Cancun scene. We know where to eat, where to shop, and where to visit. So, because of that, I didn't take too many pictures. But if you want to see more pictures about my previous adventures in Cancun, go here.

It was so nice for me just to relax. I read the Divergent series (well the two books that are out) and I am obsessed.

All and all, it was a fun, relaxing trip. Now I'm all moved out and settled in to my new apartment, ready for a new semester in school. I can't wait to get back into the byu scene.

August 19, 2013

Figuring out how the washer, dryer and dishwasher work again. What button is it again?

The most common question I've been asked? "What are your plans now?" I'm going back to school people...

Another common question: "So how was your mission?" Me: "Ummm.... good?" Honestly, how am I supposed to answer that? Missions are like mini lives. It's like asking, "So, how have the last 10 years been?" Good?

It was so weird coming back and seeing how technologically advanced everyone is... how EVERYONE has an iphone and all this instagramming and snapchatting stuff.

Speaking of technological advances, THIS ONE got an iphone. Yeah, that sure was a blast trying to figure out the first few days. What do I do with this space phone?

How my eye twitched for 2 weeks from straight up fatigue. No I am not winking at you. Go away.

Getting tired around 7, and waking up without fail at 3:15am for about 6 days.

The strange sensation that my mission was just a dream and that I never left.

Awesome

My awesome bed!!! So soft!

CARPET!!! Seriously, this was me about 5 seconds after I walked into my house.

August 18, 2013

Asado means BBQ in Argentina Y'ALL. So the day after I got home, my parents threw a little party and I was SO SO happy when a bunch of my mission buddies showed up!

Cousin Greg served his mission in Brazil and learned how to do Brazilian BBQ... man this stuff is LEGIT. Like WAY BETTER than Rodizios. It was so good to see so many people from the mission and to connect with old friends.

All kids from the Bahia Blanca Mission. We rock.

Well that's a wrap, folks. As you've probably noticed, we're back on the old blog look. *Sniffle. I'm so happy you all were able to follow me on this little adventure, and I hope that you'll stay tuned for this next exciting stage in my life.

August 15, 2013

- So I promised I would write one last post on my last week in the mission. The exciting news is that on Sunday the 28th of July, Margarita got baptized! But man, that was one heck of a baptism. We got a call on Saturday night telling us that there was no hot water for the font! They said the baptism may not happen and we were so bummed. On Sunday morning, Margarita came all prepped and ready with a skirt and her nice shoes on and we were honestly praying for a miracle... and that's what happened. Something that was once broken started working and we were able to fill the font with warm water. What a miracle right?? Margarita was baptized and it was a perfect way to end my time in Toay. I also was able to fulfill a goal of mine...at the beginning of my mission I made the goal to baptize in every area and with every companion. And I am SO happy I was able to have this baptism with Hermana Vawdrey! I will miss her!!
- The whole rest of the week was full of goodbyes and lots of people wanting to give me food. We even had lunch with our favorite investigators, Juan and Cristina... they are so great!!

- So on Sunday night, I left Toay with all my suitcases and headed to the terminal. My bus left at 4am and everything was so surreal. We got to Bahia at like 9 in the morning and went straight to the office to weigh our suitcases and have our last interviews with President. My interview was the absolute best. I asked President to give me a blessing and it was the absolute best decision I have ever made. It was the sweetest and clearest blessing and I will always hold that near to my heart. After FINALLY having the chance to shower, Hna Gonzalez and I went off to Villa Mitre 2 so I could visit some people. I was able to see Tatiana and Erika and found out they would be off to the temple that week to do baptisms... SO GREAT!! I also saw a few more families in the ward and it was just so nice to be back in my old area and say goodbye.

With Tatiana and Erika

- That night we had FHE at the Presidents house and everything just felt like a dream. We shared our testimonies for the last time as missionaries and had asado. Our gift from President was a bound book of all our letters we had written to him throughout our missions. It was funny to look back and see how terrible my Spanish was when I first started! After that we went home and tried to sleep... that didn't work too well, but that's ok. The next morning, we got picked up and we headed to the airport. Everything was so surreal and sad.

With Hermana Parreno

-When we got to Buenos Aires, we met up with all the leaving groups... from Cordoba and Mendoza and ate lunch. We also met the new missionaries going to Bahia Blanca! Then we were all shipped off to the temple. We got to see one of our old APs there and he was able to do a session with us! Such a sweet experience for us all.

- The temple was so beautiful but we couldn't enjoy it because we had to rush outta there and get to the airport. Then we found out that the Bahia Blanca group wouldn't be leaving that day... I know, WHAT! Our luggage (which was sent by ground transportation) didn't make it in time so we would be staying an extra day. We were all pretty bummed, but mostly just scared to have to call our moms and tell them the news! So, there was about 18 of us... and I was the only sister. Ha, awkward.... but at least the Elders were pretty cool. We had to stay in a hotel that night, and I had to sleep in a room by myself... which was SO weird, still being a missionary and all. The next day we were able to do a tour of Buenos Aires and see the sights. That night, we FINALLY got on our plane... all of us pretty ready to go home.

- Those two flights... from Buenos Aires to Atlanta, and then Atlanta to Salt Lake...were the LONGEST flights of my LIFE. 8 of us finally made it to Utah and we were all so excited and nervous. We booked it through the terminal, ignoring all the excited pointing from fellow Utah mormons and made it to the escalator. I tried filming everything but my hands were so shaky I couldn't!

-Seeing my parents and family and friends was amazing. I was just crying and shaking so much! It made me think of how our "homecoming" will be when we finally make it back to our heavenly parents. I imagine that the pure joy I felt on that day in the airport will be magnified when I run in to my Father in Heaven's arms. How sweet will be that reunion?

-Well there you have it... my journey home. I'm sad that t his chapter of my life is ending, but I am so so excited for the next one to begin. I feel like I am a better person and stronger in the gospel from my mission. Like they say, you only have 18 months to serve and an eternity to think about it. And in these last two weeks I have thought about my mission every day. I am so grateful I had this opportunity to serve.